2014 has been a fantastic year for Fabio Aru who has taken the step from being a big talent to a genuine grand tour contender. The Italian has fond memories of the past season, especially his fight against the big names in the Vuelta a Espana.

For several years, it has been obvious that Fabio Aru is a rare climbing talent but the cycling world had to wait until 2014 before the true extent of his potential was revealed. In the Giro d'Italia, he won a memorable stage to Montecampione and finished third overall and later he went on to win another two mountain stages and finishing fifth in the Vuelta a Espana.

The results have exceeded Aru's expectations. Going into 2014, he was expected to test himself in the Giro under the apprenticeship of Michele Scarponi but he ended up doing much better than he had expected. The results in the Vuelta were a bonus as he found himself in new territory, doing a second grand tour in a single season.

“The victory at Montecampione, the first professional victory in the race that is most loved by Italians," he told Tuttobiciweb when asked to point to the highlights of his season. "The podium in the Giro that put me into a new league and made me known by many people, not just Italians. Then there are the two victories in Spain, my first victories abroad, achieved in a race where many big champions wanted to redeem themselves.”

The fact that he was up against lots of big stars in the Vuelta made him especially pleased with his results.

“I threw myself into the battle and I fought as best I could against those great champions," he said. "I learned so much from this experience. I will remember the fatigues and the experiences which will be useful in the future. I raced alongside my idol, Alberto Contador, who confirmed that he has great class.”

Aru has fond memories of his first stage win in the Spanish grand tour, mostly due to the big names he beat.

“The finishing order," he said when asked about what he remembers from the day. "I am one who always looks ahead but that day I almost fainted when I looked back. I remember the finishing order: Valverde, Rodriguez, Contador, Froome, Uran, Sanchez.

“I was definitely good.  You know how much I'm prepared in Sestriere to be ready for the Vuelta. You also know that I am meticulous, careful and proud and don’t like to go to races unprepared. If I start a race, I always want to give my best. I arrived at the Vuelta one kilo lighter than I was at the Giro and [trainer Maurizio] Mazzoleni who talked with [trainer Paolo] Slongo on a daily basis, urged me to try after having seen my data. Do you remember stage 9? That day I had 15 bad minutes. The team has rallied around me and in the pursuit on Aramon Valdelinares I recorded very good number for about five minutes: 400-410 watts which gives just under 7 watts per kilogram."

His trainer Mazzoleni even claims that he was on the same level when he won that stage as he was on Montecampione in the Giro.

“He knows it," Aru says. "He has studied the numbers. I can only say that I was very good that day, like on Montecamptione. I made a first attack with 1500m to go to test the rivals. Contador responded well. I caught my breath, reloaded the batteries and after 400m I tried again. I stayed away to the finish.”

That day Contador told the press that the Italian reminded him of himself.

“I know that," Aru said. "I read about it but after my second stage win, he rode up to me and said: “Hey, champion…” Those are things you don’t believe.”

Near the end of the race, Aru took his second win when he outsprinted Chris Froome on the Monte Castrove.

"I enjoyed that day massively," he said. "I won by beating the best. I won even though they knew me and knew that I could do something. I won by going head-to-head with a rider of the caliber of Chris Froome. Martin [sports director Martinelli] told me that I should try with 4km to go if I felt good. It was the hardest part of the climb. Since I felt fine, I tried. I thought about going to the finish line alone, but the team warned me: be careful, Chris is coming. Then I breathed loudly, recovered a bit of forces and waited for the Brit. He would make me crazy with his speed. That day I tested myself: I clung to the handlebars and I just thought about pushing as much as possible. And I waited for the sprint.

“I turned around and I saw people like Contador, Valverde, Rodriguez lose contact. I saw Froome coming back to me and then I joined him, maintained the high speed, kept looking at him and beat him in the sprint. Not long ago, those images were part of my dreams and now they have become reality which is almost hard to believe. I know that it is just the beginning. The difficulties start right now but I would be lying if I told you that I am not happy with what I have achieved. What I have done in this season marks a turning point."

The results didn't come by coincidence.

“Like I said, after the Giro I worked very well," he said. " I was in Sestriere for a month and a half, but the results are evident. For me, it was important to do a second Grand Tour so close to the first one. It was the first time so I did not know how my body would react. I did not know if I would be able to find another peak shape. Well, I had the answers. "

The Giro is usually seen as a harder race than the Vuelta but Ary refuses that suggestion.

"The Giro is the Giro, in terms of course is the most difficult race," he said. "The Vuelta, though, for participation, for the many champions and their desire to redeem themselves, was hard. The battle from the first to the last kilometre, the palpable tension in the morning.  Martin (coach Beppe Martinelli) told me: "Fabio, in cycling, the course makes no difference. The riders make the race." The Giro climbs are scary but it’s a more logical and natural race. The Vuelta is more nervous and the riders make it more difficult than the Giro. And you need to multiply by three to reach the level of the Tour.”

Later Aru went on to play a key role for Italy at the Worlds where he rode a very active race.

“At the Worlds, I was in the service of the Italian team," he said. "Davide (Cassani) knew he had no rider who could win the race with a good sprint, so we tried to anticipate. I was one of the riders who tried to split the peloton. It was a great experience that I would take on agan tomorrow."

Next year Aru is expected to lead Astana in the Giro before he will go on to support Vincenzo Nibali in the Tour. To become a potential grand tour winner, however, he knows that he needs to improve his time trialling.

"In Santa Maria de Veruela [the Vuelta time trial], the data said that I was better than in the Giro, but it is also true that among the big names I was the one who probably paid the most (he finished 21st 2.03 behind Tony Martin and 1.24 behind Contador, ed.)," he says. "I am never satisfied, but it is also true that I am only in my second year as a professional and I cannot claim to be at Contador’s level because an Alberto is only born every twenty years.”

Italian cycling has struggled over the past few years. With Nibali winning the Tour and Aru emerging as a future contender, however, the Astana youngster is optimistic for the future.

“There is an evident crisis but it is due to the poor economy which causes difficulties for teams and organizers," he said. "The development is good and right behind Vincenzo who is the reference point, we are doing well with many young riders. The national team for the Worlds is the proof: Zardini Colbrelli, Formolo, myself…  Something is working well.”

In general, the year has been amazing for Aru who finds it hard to believe in his own success.

"I would not have believed it," he said. "Of course, I hoped but the dreams and ambitions are one thing, reality is another. Well, the reality has been wonderful.”